Making Vanilla Extract

Thank you to Including Cake for this tutorial on how to make vanilla extract.  A friend of ours in the Methow made some of this for Christmas gifts, and it turned out beautifully.  They even made their own sweet labels.

This DIY project is affordable and simple. Check out Vanilla Review if you would like detailed information on making vanilla extract.

Your extract will be ready to use after approximately 8 weeks.  It will continue to infuse for the months to follow.

Ingredients:
35-40% rum or vodka
Vanilla whole beans

Directions:

• Sterilize all equipment prior to use.
• Use approx. 8 vanilla beans for each 250ml bottle of extract. Cut each of the beans in half exposing the caviar in the middle. Some guides suggested scraping out the caviar to get a greater surface area when it is all added to the bottle, however I felt that this wasn’t necessary as there was still a lot of exposed surface area once the bean was slit and it seemed like unnecessary mess. Fill the bottle(s) with the split beans and then add the alcohol of choice. Secure the lid.  Shake well.
• Shake bottle(s) once a day for one week and then a few times per week thereafter.